Baby Oatmeal is a nourishing, warm and comforting breakfast for babies and toddlers. Oats provide a great start to your little one’s day! This creamy and easy-to-digest oatmeal porridge is packed with essential nutrients like fibre, vitamins, and minerals to support healthy growth. Plus, it’s super easy to whip up, whether you’re keeping it simple or mixing in fruit purees for extra flavour. This baby oatmeal recipe will become a comforting breakfast staple in your baby’s diet.
Porridge vs oatmeal
Oats are a really popular breakfast choice around the world. Depending on where you are, you might make porridge (Australia and the UK), oatmeal (US and Canada) or oats porridge (India). They’re all essentially the same thing – a classic breakfast made by cooking oats with water or milk, either on the stove or in the microwave. Or of course, in the Thermomix!
Are oats healthy for babies?
Yes! Babies can be served oats from 6 months of age, and they are a really nutritious whole grain food [1]! Oats are rich in polyphenols, plant compounds that have a range of health benefits. They’re high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals including zinc, folate, iron and magnesium, amongst plenty of others. They’re also a great source of healthy carbohydrates and the soluble fibre beta-glucan, which supports gut and immune health. Baby oatmeal offers an easy way for you to serve this nutritious grain to your little one.
Ingredients in baby oatmeal
This basic oatmeal recipe for baby needs just three ingredients!
Rolled Oats – A nutritious whole grain, and filling too. You could use instant or quick oats and reduce the cooking time (check packaging instructions).
Milk – Full-cream milk. In Australia, it’s recommended that pasteurised full-fat milk varieties be given to children until at least 2 years of age to meet their energy needs [2], with nutritionally incomplete alternatives such as coconut milk, soy milk and almond milk being avoided. For babies, you could substitute with expressed breast milk or formula.
Water – Using a little water along with milk helps to make creamy oats, that are still soft enough in texture for baby (the water penetrates the oats to soften them).
How to make baby oatmeal porridge
Thermomixer? Mill the dry oats in your machine to make a finer texture for baby, and then gently cook with milk and water. Top with your preferred toppings (see suggestions below!) and serve. This Thermomix porridge for baby is super easy to make.
Conventional cook? Use a blender or food processor to chop the dry oats to a finer texture for baby. You can then either cook the oats with milk and water on a stovetop or in the microwave. Top with your preferred toppings (see suggestions below!) and serve.
See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and detailed steps for both thermo cooker and conventional cooking methods.
Serving oatmeal to baby
Oatmeal porridge is best served fresh and warm. You can eat it on its own, drizzled with honey (for children over 1 year old) or top it with stewed, dried or fresh fruits, yoghurt or spices. The options are endless! Below are our favourite serving suggestions for babies.
Oatmeal toppings for baby
Oatmeal porridge is easy to customise! This oatmeal porridge recipe is the basic version, which you can then add your baby and toddler’s favourite toppings to. These are some of our favourites:
Pear and cinnamon –Stir this pear and cinnamon puree through the oatmeal once cooked for a naturally sweet, warm flavour boost.
Banana and peanut butter – Mash half a banana with a fork, and add a small spoonful of peanut butter. Mix together, and then dollop over the cooked oatmeal or stir through.
Apple, nectarine and strawberry – Stir this summer fruit puree through the oatmeal once cooked, and top with extra mashed strawberries for a bright, sweet breakfast bowl.
Storing baby oatmeal porridge
Leftover oatmeal porridge can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, transfer the oatmeal porridge to a pot on the stove or a microwave-safe bowl. If the porridge has thickened, add a splash of water or milk, and stir to loosen it up. Heat it gently until warm, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating.
Looking for more nourishing breakfast recipes for babies or toddlers? Try this Healthy Berry Breakfast Smoothie. It pairs the natural sweetness of mixed berries and banana with yoghurt, oats, nuts and seeds to make a full breakfast, in smoothie form!
If you make this Baby Oatmeal please leave a 🌟 star rating and a 📝 comment below. I love hearing how my recipes work for you and your family! Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest too for more healthy breakfast recipes.
Happy cooking,
Chloe x
Baby Oatmeal
Category: BreakfastTap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 2 tbs rolled oats
- 1/4 cup milk full cream for children under 2 years (Note 1)
- 2 tbs water
Thermo Cooker Instructions
- Put oats into the mixing bowl. Mill for 20 seconds, speed 8, MC on.
- Add milk and water to mixing bowl and cook 4 minutes, 90°C, reverse, speed 2.
- Allow to cool to an appropriate temperature before serving to children. Top with preferred toppings.
Conventional Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, chop the rolled oats to a fine texture. You may need to double the batch of dry oats for your blender to work effectively. Store the unused half in an airtight container.
- Put all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 25 seconds. Stir, and microwave for another 25 seconds. Stir. Allow to cool to an appropriate temperature before serving to children. Top with preferred toppings.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
[1] 9 Health Benefits of Eating Oats and Oatmeal, 2024, Healthline Media LLC.
[2] Infant Feeding Guidelines: Summary, 2013, National Health and Medical Research Council
